Tyreek Hill Calls for Dismissal of Officer Who Threw Him to the Ground
The Miami Dolphins receiver admitted he could have handled the police encounter differently but has called for the dismissal of the officer who threw him to the ground.
Tyreek Hill, wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins in the NFL, called on Wednesday for the dismissal of the officer who handcuffed and threw him to the ground last Sunday after stopping him for speeding.
"I could have acted better and rolled down the window, but that doesn’t give him the right to beat me up. He needs to go, he has to go. At that moment, he not only treated me poorly but also disrespected my teammates," said Hill, a Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, during a press conference.
Last Sunday, Hill was pulled over for speeding near Hard Rock Stadium before his team's season opener. The arrest gained attention on social media due to videos showing Hill on the ground with his arms behind his back while an officer placed handcuffs on him.
Teammates Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith were also handcuffed when they tried to assist Hill.
On Monday, the Miami Police Department released body camera footage detailing the player's arrest. The Miami Dolphins described the action as aggressive and violent.
The 30-year-old receiver spoke to the media on Wednesday about the officers' behavior during the arrest.
"It’s crazy to think that there are officers doing this with body cameras on. What would they do without body cameras? There’s a lot to analyze. In football, we watch the footage and improve with it. In this case, we should do the same," the player stated.
Following the incident, the Police Department announced that Officer Danny Torres had been reassigned to administrative duties while the investigation is ongoing.
Tyreek Hill emphasized that what happened could help improve various procedures and stressed his determination to stand firm.
"I’m not going to kneel. But I insist. This could be a learning tool for everyone. For civilians, police, and all of us to take responsibility and improve," he concluded.